Package sealing device



y c. MILLER Em. 2,603,376

' PACKAGE SEALING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 7, 194:;

l4- H 53 i v '20 i .2 I so :no I 57 55 CECIL M/use mm 1.. .S'NVDEE enLPH l-LSlflfl/SGOOD mmvroas July 15, 1952 c. MILLER ET AL PACKAGE SEALING DEVICE S Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 7, 1949 INVENTORS HTTGENEV y 1952 g. MILLER ET'AL. 9 3

PACKAGE SEALING DEVICE .Filed Jan. 7, 1949 s Sheets-Sheet s III CECIL MILLER fiUl. L. SNVDEB lQfiLPH l-l- 6'60/7/6'6'000 INVENTORS 3 indicates generally the fastening apparatus which is incorporated in a conveyor indicated generally by the reference character II. The fastening apparatus I is secured to the conveyor by a mounting structure which includes a pair of vertical stanchions I2, interconnected by an adjustable bridge member I3 which consists of an upturned channel welded to a pair of sleeves I4 slidably mounted on the stanchions I2 and adapted to be secured thereto by a pair of set screws I5. The upper ends of the stanchions I2 are secured together by a tie bar I6 welded thereto, a vertical adjusting screw I! is threaded into the tie bar I6 adjacent the center thereof, and the lower end of the adjusting screw is in turn journally secured to the bridge member I3 whereby rotation of the screw I1 raises or lowers the bridge member I3 to various adjusted positions thereof, wherein it may be clamped by the screws I as aforesaid. A handle I8 is secured to the upper end of the screws IT for the purpose of making such adjustment. 1

The conveyor I I .is secured to the bridge member I3 by clamping bolts I9, as best seen in Figure 2, and includes a downturned channelshaped housing 20 in which are carried a pair of transverse axles 22 (one not shown), which in turn carry conveyor chain sprockets 2| for rotation thereon. Power means for driving one of the sprockets is provided, as is conventional in such conveyor system, but, forming no part of the present-invention, the drive means is not shown in the drawings. A conventional block chain 23 is carried on the sprocket 2| and at distributed points along the chain outwardly projecting hooks 25 are secured to the chain links, whereby the hooks 25 on the lower span of the chain 23 depend below the edges of the housing 20 and move along the-conveyor in the direction of the arrows shown in Figure 2.

Each of the hooks 25 is adapted to carry a filled bag 9 dependent therefrom by the drawstrings 8. It is'readily apparent from an examination of Figure 2 that the weight of the material in the bags 9 tends to draw the drawstrings 8 taut, closing the mouth of the bag. It will also be seen that, as the bags reach the end of the conveyor II (which may be some distance from the fastening apparatus as indicated by the break in Figure 2), the books 25 pass upwardly into the housing I I, thus disengaging and dropping the filled and fastened bag therefrom.

The mechanism by which fastening means are secured to the drawstrings 8 as they pass through the fastening apparatus I0 is principally carried on a pair of lower base plates 30 and 3| (right and left hand respectively), which are mounted on the lower ends of the stanchions I2 by means of collars 32 welded to the plates 30 and secured to the stanchions by set screws 33. Also secured to the right hand base plate 30 is an upstanding bearing tube 34 which rotatably carries therein, a shaft 35, the upper end of which is journalled inthe bridge member I3. A feed whee1 38, the purpose of which will be described in more detailhereinafter, is secured to the lower end of the shaft 35 below the right hand base plate 30 through which the shaft 35 projects. Midway along the shaft 35 is carried an escapement wheel or star wheel 36 having a conventional hub secured to the shaft 35 by a set screw 31. The

angular relationship between the star wheel 36 and the feed wheel 38 is illustrated in Figure 5.

Secured to the base plates 30 and 3| and projecting parallel to the conveyor are a pair of spaced guide plates 39 defining between a guide slot 40 which slot continues through the fastening apparatus between the base plates 30 and 3|. An additional auxiliary guide plate 4| is mounted to the left hand base plate 3| above the upper surface thereof, whereby to additionally guide the drawstrings as they pass throughthe fastening apparatus, as will hereinafter be described in more detail.

The fastening means applied to the drawstrings 8 as they pass through the fastening apparatus I0 consist of a pair of adhesive tapes applied face-to-face on either side of the drawstrings, whereby the tapes adhere securely to each other, securing the drawstrings therebetween. ,The. nature and advantages of such fastening means are described in detail in the copending application of Cecil Miller and Rudolf Mangold, Serial No. 22,185, filed April 20, 1948, and entitled Bag Sealer, now Patent 2,536,455 issued January 2, 1951.

Adhesive tape from which short lengths are cut to formthe fastening means just described is supplied from a pair of rolls 42 mounted on vertical axles 49 to the base plates 30 and 3|, respectively. Lengths 43 of the adhesive tape from the supply rolls 42 are passed forwardly over lateral guide rollers 44 toan apex position 62in the line of the guide slot 40,, where the tape portions .43 contact and adhere 'to 'each other. Mutually adhering contact of the tapes is assured by a pressure spring 41 mounted to the base plate 3| which spring yieldingly urges the two contacting tapes against a back-up block 45 mounted to the oposite base plate 39.

Mounted to the left hand base plate 3| at a position just beyond the tape apex 62 is a solenoid operating cutting and sealing device indicated generally bythe reference character 50. The actuating mechanism of the cutting and sealing device is enclosed by a housing 5| within which is mounted a solenoid including a coil 52, a plunger 53, and an actuating lever 54. Power to actuate the solenoid coil 52 is supplied through leads 51. The actuating lever 54 is pivoted at the upper end as indicated in Figure 4, and the lower end thereof is engaged by a pin and notch connection with a thrust rod 55 disposed transversely to the slot 40. When the solenoid coil 52 is energized, drawing the plunger .53 thereinto, the operation of the actuating lever 54 is such as to thrust the thrust rod 55 to the right in Figure 4. A return spring 56 is secured to the end of the thrust rod 55 and anchored to the base plate 3| whereby to normally retain the zhrust rod 55 in its retracted or left hand posiion.

As best seen in Figure 6, a chuck member 58 is secured to the righthand end of the thrust rod 55 and carries therein a resilient block 59 and a cutting blade 69 secured into the chuck by a set screw 6|. The resilient block 59 may be of sponge rubber or similar material and is positioned and adapted to abut a similar resilient block 46 mounted in a'recess in the back-up block 45 on the opposite side of the guide slot 40.

The knife blade 60 is double-edged, and reversible, so that it may be reversed when one edge becomes worn. A recess 48 is formed in the back-up block 45 so that the forward or cutting edge of the blade 60 enters the notch 48 in shearing engagement therewith.

Thus it will be seen that when the solenoid coil 52 is actuated, the thrust rod 55 is thrust across the guide slot 40 whereby the knife blade 60 shears any tape lyingin the guideslot, and the two resilient blocks 59 and 46 clamp the .tape therebetween, whereby to securely seal them .to-

gether around the drawstring '8 therebetween.

The solenoid of the cutting and sealing device 50 is connected through leads 51 to an actuating switch 65 mounted on the right hand sleeve it and positioned and adapted to be intermittently operated by rotation of, the star wheel 36. The actuating switch 65 is adjustably mounted by means of a collar 68, surrounding the sleeve l4, and slidable vertically thereon. The collar 68 may be clamped in any adjusted position by means of a set screw 69.

A number of cam lobes 61 are formed in the upper surface of the star wheel 36, and'posi tioned to engage a roller 66 depending from the actuating switch 65; whereby each time one of the cam'lobes 61' passes under the roller 66, the switch 65 is actuated. One such cam lobe- 8! is formed on each of the teeth of the star wheel as is shown in Figure 3.

' As previously stated, the star wheel 36 and the feed wheel 38 are interconnected by the shaft 55 for concurrent rotation. The angular relationship of these two wheels is illustrated inFigure 5, wherein it will be seen that, at a time when the star wheel is in a position toactuate the switch 65, one of the V-shaped peripheral notches in the feed wheel is in a predetermined position across the slot All, such as to hold the drawstrings8between the resilient blocks 46 and 59. When the hooks 25 move along the conveyor H, the drawstrings enter'the slot 40 and are guided into a notch in the feed wheel 38 whereupon rotation of the latter member carries the drawstrings 8 in guided and controlled motion along the slot 40, and positions the drawstrings 8 exactly be-- tween the resilient blocks 59 and 46 at the time the solenoid coil is actuated by operating of the switch 65. Such motion of the feed wheel is as sured by the fact that as each' of the hooks 25 passes the star wheel 36, the shank of the hook engages one of the teeth of the star wheel, rotating the same through approximately 120, during which rotating the switch 65 is actuated once. The aforesaid 120 rotation of the star wheel leaves the next succeeding tooth thereof in position to be engaged by the next hook, as can be seen from an examination of Figure" 3 wherein the starting position of the star wheel 36 is shown in fulllines'and an intermediate position at which the switch is actuated is shown in phantom lines. I

Having described the construction of the apparatus embodying our invention, the complete operation thereof will now be explained. The filled bags are placed on the conveyor as they are received from the weighing and filling apparatus (not shown). Thereupon the filled bags are carried along the conveyor (to the right in Figure 2) and upon reaching the. fastening"ap paratus- Hi, the drawstrings 8 of the bag enter the guide slot 40. As the hook 25 approaches a position immediately above the cutting and sealing mechanism 50, the shank of the hook engages the counterclockwise side of one of the teeth in the star wheel 35. Such engagement of the star wheel causes the. same to rotate in a clockwise di-' rection, efiecting concurrent rotation of the feed wheel 38. It will be noted from an examination of Figures 3 and 5 that when'the star wheel 36- is in the ready position at which it is engaged by the hook 25, the feed'whe el 38 is in such position that one of the peripheral notches therein is aligned withthe guide slot 40 whereby thedrawstrings 81 carried alongby the hook 25 enter the aforesaid notch.

Thereupon, it will be seen that rotation of the feed wheel 38 carries the drawstrings along the slot 40 and at the same time, inwardly to the inner end of the notch. During the last mentioned movement, the drawstrings 8 encounter the adhesive tape-lengths 43 at the apex 62 thereof. Since the tape is wound on the rolls 42 with the adhesive side in, the drawstrings 8 adhere to the tape and unwind a' small portion from the rolls 42 as the drawstrings move along the slot tions 10 of the tapes, due to the action of the spring 4-! which presses the tapes together behind the drawstrings. 7

As previously described, the synchronization of the star wheel 36 and feed wheel 38 is such that the cam lobe 51 passes under the actuating roller of the switch 65 at exactly the=instant when the drawstringsB are between the cla'mping blocks 46 and 59. Thus, actuation of the switch 65 causes the sealing and cutting mech anism 50 to move the knife blade 60 across the path of the tape, severing end portions 10 therefrom, and sealing said end portions around the drawstrings 8.

After the sealing and cutting operation just described, the continuedmovement of the conveyor hooks 25 carry the bag 9 on through the fastening apparatus to the end of the conveyor H where the upward movement of the hook disengages the bag 9 and drops the same as shown at the right hand end of Figure 2; The bags are held securely closed by the terminal tape portions 10 sealed'arou'nd the drawstrings 8.

While the apparatus shown and described herein is fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it will be realized by those skilled in the art that modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For

engage said drawstrings adjacent the mouths I of said bags; and sealing means responsive to movement'of" said bags to press a portion of saidmaterial into securing engagement with said drawstrings when the latter are at said point in'said conveyor movement.

2. In apparatus for securing drawstring bags: a conveyor adapted to move said bags along a predetermined path, said conveyor including means' to hold the drawstrings of said bag taut whereby to close the opening thereof; a supply of adhesive tape supported adjacent, said path and having a. portion thereof extending into said path whereby to securingly engage said drawstrings adjacent the mouths of bags moving in said path; and severing means responsive to movement of said bags and adapted to sever said drawstring*engaged portions from said tape ply. 5

3. In apparatus for'securing drawstring bags:

a conveyor adapted to move said bags along a predetermined path, said conveyor including means to hold the drawstrings of said bag taut whereby to close the opening thereof; a supply of .adhesive tape supported adjacent a predetermined point in said path; and a sealingmechanism including an element actuated by said conveyor each time one of said bags passes. said point, pressure means operatively connected to said element to apply pressure to said tape to secure the same around said drawstrings adjacent the mouth of a bag at said point, and severing means operatively connected to said pressure means to sever said secured portion from said supply.

4.'In package sealing apparatus of the class described: a conveyor adapted to move packages along a predetermined path; a pair of rolls of adhesive, tape, one supported on either side of said path, said rolls having lengths thereof extending therefrom and adhesively joined at a point in said path with the adhesive surfaces of said lengths facing toward the path of said packages whereby said packages moving in said path encounter said adhesive surfaces at said juncture point; and sealing means responsive to movement of said packages to press portions of said tape lengths into securing engagement with said package when the latter is at said juncture point in said path.

5. In apparatus for securing drawstring bags: a conveyor adapted to move said bags along a predetermined path, said conveyor including means to hold the drawstrings of said bag taut whereby to close the opening thereof; a pair of rolls of adhesive tape, one supported on either side of said path, said rolls having lengths thereof extending therefrom and adhesively joined at a point; in said path with the adhesive surfaces facing against said conveyor movement whereby said drawstrings of bags moving in said path encounter said adhesive surfaces at said juncture point; and sealing means responsive to movement of said conveyor to press portions of said tape into mutually adhering engagement around said drawstrings of a bag when the latter is at said point in said path.

6. In apparatus for securing drawstring bags: a conveyor having a plurality of movable hooks each adapted to support one of said bags by the drawstrings thereof; a pair of base plates supported below said conveyor and laterally spaced to define a longitudinal guide slot for drawstrings of bags moved by said conveyor; a pair of rolls of adhesive tape, one supported on each of said guide plates, said tape rolls having lengths extended therefrom and said lengths being adhesively joined at an apex positioned in said guide slot, said tape lengths being disposed with the adhesive surfaces thereof facing against said conveyor motion whereby said drawstrings moved by said conveyor encounter said adhesive surfaces at said apex; feed means including a notched feed wheel positioned and adapted to receive said drawstrings in one of said notches thereof and to rotate to move said drawstrings along said guide slot, and means including an escapement wheel operatively connected to drive said feed wheel and positioned and adapted to be actuated by said hooks moving along said conveyor; and sealing means including a solenoid driven pressure block mounted on one of said base plates, an abutting back-up block mounted on the other of said base plates, and an actuating switch operatively connected to said solenoid driven block and positioned and adapted to be periodically oper ated by said escapement wheel whereby to actuate said solenoid driven block to drive the latter against said back-up block to press said tapes together around said drawstrings.

7. The construction of claim 6 further characterized by having a knife blade secured to said solenoid driven block, said knife blade being positioned and adapted to sever said tape lengths at a point in a mutually adhering length thereof whereby to leave mutually adhering portions clamped around said drawstrings and mutually adhering ends at said apex.

8. In package sealing apparatus of the class described: a conveyor adapted to move packages along a predetermined path; a pair of rolls of adehsive tape, one supported on either side of said path, said rolls having lengths thereof extending therefrom and adhesively joined at a point in said path with the adhesive surfaces of said lengths facing toward the path of said packages whereby said packages moving into said path encounter said adhesive surfaces at said juncture point; sealin means responsive to movement of said packages to press portions of said tape lengths into securing engagement with said package when the latter has just passed said juncture point in said path; and a movable cutter responsive to movement of said packages to sever said portions secured to said package from said rolls, said cutter being disposed adjacent a point in said path beyond said juncture point whereby to leave said extending lengths adhesively joined after said secured portion is severed therefrom.

9. In package sealing apparatus of the class described: a conveyor adapted to move packages along a predetermined path; a pair of rolls of adhesive tape, one supportedon either side of said path, said rolls having length thereof extending therefrom with outer ends of said lengths in adhesive contact at a juncture point in said path with the adhesive surfaces of said lengths facing toward the path of said packages whereby said packages moving in said path encounter said adhesive surfaces at said juncture point; opposed pressure members engaged with the backs of said tape lengths at said juncture point to hold the same in said adhesive contact, one of said pressure members being yieldable to permit said package to pass between said pressure members, and resilient to rejoin said tape in adhesive contact behind said package as the same moves in said path; and sealing means responsive to movement of said packages to press portions of said tape lengths into securing engagement with said package when the latter is just beyond said pressure members in said path.

10. In package sealing apparatus of the class described: a conveyor adapted to move packages along a predetermined path; a pair of supply rolls of adhesive tape, one supported on either side of said path, said rolls having lengths thereof extending therefrom with outer ends of said lengths in adhesive contact at a juncture point in said path with the adhesive surfaces of said lengths facing toward the path of said packages whereby said packages moving in said path encounter said adhesive surfaces at said juncture point; opposed pressure members engaged with the backs of said tape lengths at said juncture point to hold the same in said adhesive contact. one of said pressure members being yieldable to permit said package to pas between said pressure members, and resilient to rejoin said tape in adhesive contact behind said. package as-the samenioves in members in"-said"path;,'arid a cutter connected to said sealing means'forleoncurrent movement therewith-said cutter being disposed to sever said tape at a point between said package and pressure members whereby to la'velportions of said tape in adhesive contact-behind said package, and ends of said tape supply lengths in adhesive contact between said pressure members.

11. In apparatus for securing "drawstring bags: a conveyor adapted to move said bags along afpr'edetermined path, said conveyor inclu'dingmeans to hold the *drawstrings' of said bag taut whereby to close the-opening thereof a" pair of rolls of adhesive tape, oneisupported on'either side of said path, =sa'id rolls having lengthsthereof extending therefrom withends of said lengths in adhesive contact at a'juncture point insaid path with theadhesive' surfaces facing against said conveyor movement whereby said drawstrings of bags moving in said path encounter said adhesive surfaces at said juncture point; opposed pressure members engaged with the backs of said tape lengths of said juncture point to hold the same in said adhesive contact, one of said pressure members being yieldable to permit said drawstring to pass between said pressure members, and resilient to rejoin said tape in adhesive contact behind said drawstring as the same moves in said path; and

sealing means responsive to movement of said conveyor to press portions of said tape into mutually adhering contact around said drawstrings of a bag when the latter is just beyond said juncture point in said path.

12. In apparatus for securing drawstring bags: a conveyor adapted to move said bags along a predetermined path, said conveyor including means to hold the drawstrings of said bag taut whereby to close the opening there- ,of; a pair of rolls of adhesive tape, one supported on either side of said path, said rolls having lengths thereof extending therefrom with ends of said lengths in adhesive contact at a juncture point in said path with the adhesive surfaces facing against said conveyor movement whereby said drawstrings of bags moving in said path encounter said adhesive surfaces at said juncture point; opposed pressure members engaged with the backs of said tape lengths of said juncture point to hold the same in said adhesive contact, one of said pressure members being yieldable to permit said drawstring to pass between said pressure members, and resilient to rejoin said tape in adhesive contact behind said drawstring as the same moves in said path; sealing means responsive to movement of said conveyor to press portions of said tape into mutually adhering contact around said drawstrings of abag when the latter is just beyond said juncture point in said path; and a cutter connected to said sealing means for concurrent movement therewith, said cutter being disposed to sever said tapes at a point between said drawstrings and said pressure members whereby to leave a portion of said tapes secured in mutually adhering contact around said drawstrings, and ends of said lengths in adhesive contact between said pressure members.

13. In package sealing apparatus of the class described: a conveyor adapted to move packages along aj predeterminedipath; 'sepa fa'te ll p y l fi ths of adhesive, tapa- --pn .e,= u nort :Qn either side of said path "and, x ai h t 'Q'h .t@dh, lC;5 @Q$ of said "lengths facing stowardgthe path of said p c aeesz he by sa dpackaeesrmovii s aid p th vencounter a he e :su z q-e'fs at sai he ively Jo n a juncture point; and movable sealing means positioned besidesaid path adjacentsaid juncture 0in rma '1r ut 1 io tai. W i; d ta e o cted to be ac a edf i i ernent-v 0 said packages ;to press portions of said tape "l n ths into: se iii ne nea ement wi part o s i r'p eka g w n ture i t infield-s am 14 In gpackage sealing --apparatu s of; the class clatter passes said-juncd s ;afiq ve q pte i p' w k nerarre eterm f et i emai o l o :adhesiveTtape, -.one supported on either side (if tending therefrom and adhesively joined at a said path, saidrollsfljaviiig lengthsthereof ex- -point in said path with the I adhesive surfaces i nsihs ia to ar th "P h- 7 ai packages, whereby said packages moving in said path encounter said adhesive surfaces at said juncture point; sealing means responsive to movement of said packages to press portions of said tape lengths into securing engagement with said package when the latter is at said juncture point in said path; and severing means carried by said sealing means and positioned to sever said engaged portions from said supply lengths when said sealing means is actuated as afore-l said.

15. In package sealing apparatus of the class described: a conveyor adapted to move packages along a predetermined path; a pair of rolls of adhesive tape, one supported on either side of said path, said rolls having lengths thereof extending therefrom and adhesively joined at a point in said path with the adhesive surfaces of said lengths facing toward the path of said packages whereby said packages moving in said path encounter said adhesive surfaces at said juncture point; and sealing means adjacent said juncture point including a pair of pressure members on opposite sides of said path and normally spaced apart, one of said pressure members being movable toward the other and responsive to movement of said packages to clamp said tapes and a part of said package between said pressure members whereby to secure portions of said tape to said package when the latter passes said juncture point in said path.

16. The construction of claim 15 further characterized by having a cutter carried by said movable pressure member adjacent a rearward edge thereof to sever said secured tape portions from said supply lengths when said sealing means is operated as aforesaid.

1'7. In package sealing apparatus of the class described: a conveyor adapted to move packages along a predetermined path; a pair of rolls of adhesive tape, one supported on either side of said path, said rolls having lengths thereof extending therefrom and adhesively joined at a point in said path with the adhesive surfaces of said lengths facing toward the path of said packages whereby said packages moving in said path encounter said adhesive surfaces at said junction point; sealing means responsiv to movement of said packages to press portions of said tape lengths into securing engagement with said packsaid path; severing means carried by said sealing means and positioned to sever said'engaged portions from said supply lengths when said sealing means is actuated as aforesaid; and yielding pressure means engaged with said tap lengths immediately behind said severin means to rejoin said supply lengths whereby to leave said lengths joined in readiness for another package'moving in said path.

18. In apparatus for securing drawstring bags: a conveyor adapted to move said bags along a predetermined path, said conveyor including means to hold the drawstrings of said bag taut whereby to close the opening thereof; a. supply of fastening material supported adjacent a predetermined point in said path and disposed to engage said drawstrings adjacent the mouths of said bags; and a movable pressure sealing member positioned adjacent said point and responsive to movement of said bags to press a portion of said material into securin engagement with said drawstrings when the latter pass said point, said sealing member extending rearwardly from said point in said path to secure other portions of said material together behind said drawstrings.

12 19. The construction of claim 18 further characterized by having a cutter mounted on said pressure member at the rearward edge thereof to sever said secured material portions from said supply.

CECIL MILLER.

PAUL L. SNYDER.

RALPH H. SWAISGOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 868,741 Wendt Oct. 22, 1907 1,185,848 Smith June 6, 1916 1,946,056 Birdsey Feb. 6, 1934 2,110,683 Scholer Mar. 8, 1938 2,164,502 Y Cundall July 4, 1939 2,374,504 Salfisberg Apr. 24, 1945 2,456,059 Grupe Dec. 14, 1948 2,514,453 Miller July 11, 1950 

